When and where to wear masks for COVID-19

If you think your personal risk to COVID-19 is high, you should wear a mask to protect yourself.

This, according to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram who, at a virtual media conference on Friday outlined when and where masks should be used.

He also offered suggestions on the kinds of masks which would be appropriate for particular settings, uses and specific groups of people.

Dr Parasram noted that N95 masks are for use by the frontline healthcare workers who would be performing invasive procedures.

For the average person, he said, any simple mask would do.

He said anyone who is ill, whether at home or in public, should wear a mask.

Individuals who are considered part of the high risk groups for contracting the virus - the elderly, or those with non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension, should wear a mask when taking public transportation or going into supermarkets, markets, and banks.

“It does not have to be a very high-tech mask, not N95, not even surgical masks. Some sort of simple mask can suffice,” Dr Parasram said.

He said with new information on the virus continuously coming to hand, no one will be dissuaded from wearing masks at any point in time.

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